LONDON, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Differences over treatment of a 23-month-old terminally ill British toddler have developed into a legal fight as parents are appealing a High Court travel ban blocking the boy from being further treated in Italy, local media reports said.
The case is expected to be heard at the Court of Appeal on Wednesday afternoon, Britain's Press Association reported.
A High Court judge ruled Tuesday that infant Alfie Evans will not be allowed to travel to Rome for further treatment. The child, who is almost two years old, was earlier granted Italian citizenship in order to facilitate his battle for survival.
Meanwhile, the parents are allowed to remove the boy from intensive care to a ward, a hospice or home. The boy suffers from an undiagnosed degenerative neurological condition, and doctors at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in the northern English city of Liverpool have decided that any further treatment attempt is "futile."
Earlier, the parents had failed to stop doctors from withdrawing life support for the boy. Their opposition to this had led to another emergency hearing by the High Court on Tuesday.
The toddler's 21-year-old father, Thomas Evans, said his son had breathed unaided since Monday night, with no need of "any pain relief." However, the High Court judge had rejected his claims that the boy was "significantly better" than initially thought.
Media reports cited medical experts as saying it was common for terminally ill children to survive for several days after life support is withdrawn.
Crowds of supporters for the Evans family have gathered outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital, and police were put on watch after several people tried to force their way inside and block the hospital entrance on Monday.
